Government of Turkey

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on June 25  about the country's bid to join NATO, a statement by the communications directorate has said. 

According to the statement, Erdoğan said Stockholm needs to change its attitude towards PKK terror organization and its Syria branch YPG. 

There is a general consensus among relevant parties for establishing an operation center in Istanbul and opening a corridor that will enable Ukrainian grain to reach global markets, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on June 23.

"We see that concrete steps can be taken," he told reporters.

Türkiye continues efforts with the United Nations, Ukraine and Russia to ensure the export of Ukrainian grain to the world markets, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on June 23.

İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener has criticized the "unjust provocation discount" given in the case of Cemal Metin Avcı, the murderer of university student Pınar Gültekin.

"They encourage women killers, shame on all of them," Akşener said addressing her party lawmakers on June 22.

A huge forest fire broke out in Marmaris on Tuesday night. According to officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, about 1,600 people are fighting the flames in the Amazon Bay in the area of Bordubet, BGNES reported.

Türkiye has seemingly accelerated its diplomatic efforts for making a food corridor from Ukraine to the world markets possible under a plan crafted by the United Nations. While a military delegation is holding talks with their Russian counterparts in Moscow, Türkiye will host defense and foreign secretaries of the United Kingdom on June 23 in the Turkish capital.

Türkiye next week will host Russian, Ukrainian and U.N. officials for talks aimed at resuming stalled grain exports across the Black Sea, media reported on June 21. 

The meeting in Istanbul would be preceded by a visit to Moscow by a Turkish defense delegation this week, CNN Turk cited Turkish presidential sources as saying.

The government has submitted a proposal seeking a supplementary budget to allocate some additional 880 billion Turkish Liras for spending.

The draft bill, which was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the additional budget has been forwarded to the parliament speaker's office.

Turkish Journalists' protest in Istanbul on June 21, 2022. Photo: Ufuk Ceri

The government is seeking to extend the tenure of Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler, who normally should retire due to age limitations this August.

A bill submitted to parliament stipulates extending the age limit from 67 to 72 for the chief of general staff.